What Is Estate Planning?

Estate planning is the process of arranging ownership and use of assets to help meet lifetime financial objectives in a tax efficient manner, and simultaneously help provide for survivors’ needs and the disposition of property at death. A carefully implemented estate plan can help to:

• Create and conserve assets during life
• Minimize death taxes and estate settlement costs
• Ensure that cash is available to pay unavoidable taxes and costs
• Provide an orderly distribution of assets that meets the estate owner’s objectives and intentions
• Provide peace of mind and family harmony.